Old Fashioned Ale

So last night, I'm about 3 Old Fashioned cocktails deep and decide that I want to make a beer to mimic the taste.

Now, my old fashioned cocktail consists of:

2oz bourbon (I use Bulliet)
3/4oz simply syrup
2 dashes angostura bitters
1 orange slice, muddled with bitters

So converting this to a beer, I know I need a recipe with a good amount of residual sweetness, some of the same aromatics that go into angostura, some orange zest, and some citrusy hops.

Angostura is made with Gentian root and vegetable spices, so I think just adding some gentian root to the mash should give me the underlying flavor and some bitterness, leaving the hops to do the rest.

So my recipe that I threw together is:

OG: 1.060
FG: 1.015
IBU: 28.6
SRM: 10.2

15# Pale 2-row US
3.5# Crystal 40L
3.5# Vienna
??# Gentian root
3lb Lactose
1oz Citra @ 60 min
1oz Citra @ 10 min
2oz Sweet Orange Peel @ 5 min

Add 12oz bourbon at kegging.

Any thoughts on this? Any reason why this would just be disgusting?

 

You could make your own bitters to add!
Here is one of many recipes on the ol net:

Source: Make Bitters Recipe

Then you could add the bitters to taste to your batch before bottling so you can get the flavor dialed in. I would be reluctant to add straight gentian to your brew because the bitterness can get out of hand quickly. Then you could save the remaining bitters for cocktails. Or if that is too much work, how about adding commercial bitters out of the bottle to taste?

 

Adding commercial Angostura was my original idea, but then the thought of using the raw ingredients was appealing. I think I will just go with using the same bitters I use in the cocktail. Thanks.

 

That poor, poor bourbon.

 

I am actually thinking about saving my good bourbon for something I'll really be able to taste it in and adding some rye to this instead. Ole Overholt makes a very good rye that's only like $15/750ml.

 

Lol, I was just being a D--K. I was actually talking about your drink of choice, not the beer.

I have read that a little bit goes a long way as far as adding bourbon to beer so you may want to research the amount that goes in.

Bourbon is different than vodka in that it will inpart a lot more flavor as it is not nearly as neutral.